Animated sign



June 16, 1942. G, A, PRQCTQR ETAL 2,287,003

ANIMATED sien Filed April 10, 1959 Era. 5.

Herm

A TToRNEY. l

Patented June 16, 1942 ANIMATED SGN George A. Proctor and Chester A. Pafenbach, Los

Angeles, Calif., assignors to Neo-Lectro Corporation, Los Angeles, Calif., a corporation of California Application April 10, 1939, Serial No. 266,930

1 Claim.

'lhe constructions commonly used for obtaining the desired effects include the use of a movable, perforated shield placed between the light source and the sign characters and a mot-or, or similar device, for moving the shield. These devices are expensive to manufacture because of the relatively high cost of the motors employed and the cost of perforating the shield which must be done with considerable accuracy in order to insure uniformity of effect and average illumination. These devices are very ineicient in operation since from fifty to eighty percent of the light directed toward the sign characters is intercepted by the opaque parts of the shield.

We have also discovered that the erratic light movement employed in previous constructions is distracting, the observers attention being drawn to the movement of the light and away from the message to be conveyed by the sign.

It is accordingly an object of our invention to overcome the above noted disadvantages in illuminated sign constructions by providing an animated illuminated sign employing a means for continually shifting the direction of propagation of substantially all the light directed upon transparent sign characters in contra-distinction to the current practice of varying the intensity and location of illuminated areas.

It is also an object of our invention to provide an animated illuminated sign construction of the character set forth in the 'preceding paragraph which employs a moving light refracting element interposed between a lightI source and sign characters to cause a shifting of the directiony of propagation of substantially all of the light directed upon these characters.

It is a further object of our invention to provide an animated sign of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs with a refractor which is moved in a uniform, rhythmical fashion 55 ing (Cl. lil-432) to provide an eye-arresting but non-distracting sign.

It is also an object of our invention to provide an animated sign construction of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs in which the moving refractor is carried on resilient supports for oscillatory movement at the natural frequency provided by such support.

`It is also an object of our invention to provide an animated sign of the character set forth in the preceding paragraphs with a power actuating means for applying an oscillatory force to the movable refractor in synchronism with the natural frequency of vibrations of said refractor -on its resilient support.

vIt is a further object of our invention to provide a sign construction of the character set forth in the preceding paragraph in which the power actuated means comprises an electromagnet coacting with an armature carried by the refractor support, together with a switch in circuit with the magnet for alternately energizing and de-energizing the magnet in synchronism with the movement of the refractor.

Other objects and advantages of our invention Will be apparent from a study of the following specifications, read in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the appearance of one form of an animated sign constructed in accordance with our invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section taken substantially along the plane indicated by the line IIe- II of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary exploded View showing the relative location of parts employed in the sign construction.

Referring to the drawing, we have illustrated in Fig. 1 the preferred embodiment of our invention as comprising a small portable animated sign adapted to be placed on a counter or in a show window. The sign construction may include a suitable housing l adapted to house the various parts employed in the construction of the sign and which may be fitted with suitable feet or rubber pads 2 to protect the finish of counters or other surface upon which the sign may be rested.

Access to the interior of the housing I' may be obtained through the employment of a removable cover 3 which, in the form illustrated in Fig. 1, may comprise a flat lid structure having a downwardly turned flange 4 adapted to overlie the vertically extending side Walls of the hous- The front face of the housing l is preferably provided with an enlarged opening or Window 5 through which may be seen the sign eld 6 upon which are represented sign characters 1.

The sign characters 1 may be formed, as illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, by cutting suitably shaped openings in an opaque card 8 so that the sign characters 1 may be illuminated by placing a suitable source of light behind the card 8. The card 8 may be protected from dirt, dust, and the like, by providing a front cover glass 9 and any chosen color may be imparted to any one or any group of the characters 1 by employing colored gelatines or other colored transparent mediums IIJ and II.

In order to obtain substantially uniform distribution of light through each of the sign characters 1, we prefer to place immediately behind the colored gelatines I and II a suitable diffusing plate I2 which may comprise either opal or ground glass or a sheet of any suitable prismatic glass or suitable lire resistant diffusing medium. The four units; namely the card 8 in which the sign characters 1 are cut, front glass 9, the colored gelatines Il), and the diffusing plate I2 are preferably placed in contacting relation with each other and mounted within the housing I in closely abutting relation with the window opening 5 by means of channel members I3 and I4 providing a width suflicient to receive the four superimposed members.

We prefer to include within the housing I the source of light which is to be projected through the transparent sign characters 1 and have, for

this purpose, illustrated in Fig. 2 a, pair of electric light globes l5 and IS mounted in suitable sockets l1 and I3 carried by a base portion or bottom l@ of the housing l. A back wall of the housing I is preferably provided with a diffused reflecting interior surface and the side of the lamp globes l5 and I5, which is disposed toward the sign field 5, is opaqued by means of an opaque paint or lacquer or metallic shields 2| and 22.

This construction projects the light from the lamp globes rearwardly onto the diffused reflecting interior surface of the back housing wall 2l) from which it is reflected forwardly onto the diffusing plate I2. The employment of the opaque shields 2l and 22 in conjunction with the diifused reflecting interior surface of the back wall 20 provides substantially uniform illumination of the sign field 6, any minor irregularities in the light distribution resulting vfrom this construction being totally removed by the employment of the diffusing screen I2 so as to provide an absolutely uniform illumination of the sign field 5. It will be observed that this construction provides for an illuminated sign in which the sign characters appear lighted against a dark or opaque sign field and in which the illumination of the characters is substantially uniform.

In order to achieve the animation effects to impart life and sparkle to the appearance of the sign, we interpose between the source of light employed and the diffusing screen I2 a movable light refracting member 23 which, in the preferred embodiment of our invention,.comprises a sheet of pris-matic glass. The refractor 23 is preferably made of substantially the saine dimensions as the members forming the sign field 6 and is carried in a U-shaped frame member 24, each part of which has a C-shaped cross-section adapted to receive an edge of the refractor 23.

The refractor 23 and its supporting frame 24 may be supported for horizontal, oscillatory movement across the sign field 6 by providing upwardly extending resilient members, such as leave springs 25 secured to the housing base portion I9 at their lower end and attached by means of suitable brackets or clips 26 to the upper end of each of the upstanding arms of the U-shaped frame member 24.

This manner of supporting the refractor 23 and its supporting frame 24 provides for oscillatory movement thereof, the natural frequency of which is controlled by the weight of the movable parts and the spring constant of the pair of spring members 25 employed. These related factors are preferably chosen such that the natural frequency of operation of the refractor 23 is in the order of magnitude of one cycle per second which, it has been found, provides for an attractive and pleasing, rhythmical play of light through the sign characters.

rihis rhythmic movement of the refractor 23 is preferably provided by a power operated means included within the housing I. In the form illustrated herein, this means preferably includes a solenoid coil 21 in which is received an armature 28 of magnetic material, The armature 28 is secured to the lower portion of the frame 24 by means of a horizontally extending bracket 29 secured to the frame 24 as by means of screws 38. The parts are so disposed that when the refractor 23 is at rest, the magnetic center of the armature 28 is displaced from the magnetic center of the solenoid coil 21. Improved distribution of the magnetic flux, provided by the solenoid coil 21, is achieved through the use of a pair of C-shaped core members 3l and 32,

Power for` operating the sign is preferably de livered through a suitable attachment cord 33 which, as illustrated schematically in Fig. 2, includes line conductors 34 and 35. The line conductors 34 and 35 are each connected to opposite terminals of the lamp sockets I1 and I8 so that the lamp globes I5 and I6 are connected in parallel across the source of supply.

We prefer to intermittently energize the solenoid coil 21 in synchronism with the oscillatory movement of the refractor 23 and accordingly connect the solenoid 21 in circuit across the line conductors 34 and 35 in series relationship with a pair of electrical contacts 36. The contacts 38 preferably comprise a stationary contact member 31 mounted upon a flexible and resilient contact arm 38l which may be supported by means of a suitable attachment to the socket member I8. A cooperating contact 39 is prefer ably mounted upon an angle bracket member 4B secured to the lower portion of the frame 24 so that the contact member 39 is moved with the refractor 23.

The circuit for the solenoid 21 and contacts 36 includes a conductor 4I extending between the line conductor 35 and one terminal of the solenoid coil 21, a conductor 42 extending from the other terminal of the solenoid 21 to the moving Contact element 39 and electrical connection between the stationary contact element 31 and the line conductor 34 which is afforded by the resilient contact arm l33.

As soon as a suitable source of electric power is connected to the line conductors 34 and 35 the solenoid 21 will be energized through the previously described circuit and apply a force to the armature 28 tending to move the magnetic center of said armature into coincidence with the magnetic center of the solenoid 21 and thus impart a sidewards motion to the refractor 23. As soon as the refractor 23 has been moved a predetermined distance, the contact member 33 will disconnect from the contact member 31 so as to interrupt the circuit supplying the solenoid 21 and remove the force causing the sidewards movement of the refractor 23. The resilience of the spring supports 25 for the refractor 23 then causes a movement of the refractor 23 in the reverse direction to again close the switch mechanism 36.

It will be apparent that this movement of the refractor rst in one direction and then in the other will continue as long as the line conductors 34 and 35 are maintained energized and that the force causing this movement is applied in synchronism with the natural period of oscillation of the refractor 23 and its resilient support. The amount of power required by the solenoid 2'1 may accordingly be made very small, since the periodic impulses applied to the refractor 23 need only be sufficiently large to overcome the windage and friction losses in the support for this refractor in order to maintain a constant amplitude of oscillation.

It will be observed that the sign construction described herein is very eiiicient in operation because of the extremely small amount of power required to cause the oscillatory movement of the refractor and because of the fact that substantially all of the light which is directed upon the sign characters 1 is transmitted by the refractor 23. The refractor 23 may be inexpensively manufactured by employing any one of a great number of types of prismatic glass commonly available, and it has been found that almost any desired effect may be obtained by proper choice of the prismatic glass used for the refractor 23. l

In operation, the refractor 23 redirects the light which is transmitted therethrough in such fashion that a geometric light pattern is built up comprising alternate minute areas of high intensity illumination and corresponding similar areas of low intensity illumination with a substantially uniform gradient in the spaces separating the high intensity areas from the low intensity areas. The particular geometric form of this pattern is dependent upon the geometric arrangement of the multiplicity of individual prismatic elements formed in the particular prismatic glass employed as the refractor element 23.

It has been found that particularly striking effects are obtained if a sheet of prismatic glass is employed as the light diffusing plate I2, since the duplication of light directing effects obtained by these two sheets of prismatic glass when a modified light pattern of this type is moved thereover provides interesting and attractive light patterns moving through the sign characters.

Attention is called to the fact that the light diffusing plate I2 may be omitted if desired and also that similar but attractively diierent eiects may be obtained by reversing the relative positions of the moving light refracting means 23 and the diffusing plate I2', placing the light refracting means between the diffusing plate I2 and the sign eld 6.

We have also discovered that similarly striking,

novel effects in an animated sign may be obtained by omitting the light projecting means or lamp globes I5 and I5 since exterior light which is transmitted through the transparent sign characters and into the housing may be suitably reflected back through the sign characters. This reflection may be rendered more ecient and the striking effects rendered more pronounced by placing the sheet of prisniatic glass comprising the movable light refracting element 23 in such position that its roughened or prismatic surface faces the sign field 6 and by suitably securing to said prismatic or rough surface suitable reflecting means such as metal foil, either plain or colored as desired.

We have also found it desirable to provide means in the sign construction of our invention for preventing interference with radios which may be operating in the same building as the sign and accordingly connect a suitable interference eliminator or condenser 43 across the switch means 35 by means of conductors 44 and 45.

It will be observed that the sign construction of our invention employs throughout either inexpensive standard parts which may be obtained on the open market or parts which are of such simple and elementary construction as to permit their extremely inexpensive manufacture, and that by this means we have provided an animated sign construction which may be manufactured and marketed at extremely low cost. Attention is called to the fact that the extreme simplicity in construction employed provides for long life, trouble free operation and further permits repairs to be made to the sign at very low cost.

While we have described the sign characters 1 ascomprising cut out spaces in an opaque member 8, it is to be understood that if desired the sign characters 1 may be made opaque and the sign field illuminated, and that either transparent or opaque sign characters may be provided by painting or otherwise suitably inscribing the desired characters upon the forward surface .of the diffusing plate I2.

While we have shown and described the preferred embodiment of our invention, we do not desire to be limited to any of the details of construction shown or described herein, except as dened in the appended claim.

We claim:

In an .animated illuminated sign construction, the combination of a base; a sign eld carried by said base and including means defining transparent sign characters; a reflecting means disposed behind and substantially parallel to said sign iield; a light source disposed between said reflecting means and said sign eld; a light refracting means interposed between said sign field and said light source; means mounting said light refracting means for oscillatory movement relative to said sign field; and opaque shields interposed between said light source and said light refracting means, whereby all of the light transmitted through said light refracting means and said sign field is projected from said reflecting means.

GEORGE A. PROCTOR. CHESTER A. PAFENBACH' 

